Button-setting machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L; 0. EMERSON.

BUTTON SETTING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

N4 PEIERS. Plwloumo n hen war-mm D. C.

(No Model.) 2 ShetsS heet 2.

L. (J. EMERSON.

BUTTON SETTING MAGHINE. No. 394,564. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

LOENDER C. EMERSON, OF NORTH GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUTTON-SETTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,564, dated December 18, 1888.

Application filed April 30, 1888.

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, LoENDER C. EMERSON, of North Grafton,in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Button-Setting Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve that class of button-setting machines wherein a staple-like fastener is automatically passed by a driver into the eye of a button and the fastener thereafter driven by the said driver into the stock and clinched upon an anvil.

In accordance with this invention the buttons placed in a hopper are fed therefrom into a raceway having a stop for the en dmost button of the row of buttons, the said raceway having at its end and forming a continuation of it a button-guide attached to the face of a presser plate or nose, the said presser-plate having in its face an irregular groove to receive and guide the shank of the button into position just below the delivery end of the staple guideway or bar, so that a staple acted upon by a driver may have one of its legs inserted into the eye of the shank of the button, and thereafter the driver, in its further movement, drives the staple threaded into the said button into the material, the said driver being made in two parts and so operated as to enable the button-shank entered by the leg of the staple to turn quarter around and fall into a central notch of the driver before the staple is driven into the material of a boot or shoe or other article to clinch the staple against the anvil. The driver employed by me is peculiarthat is, it is made in two parts, both of which act upon the fastener when the latter is being driven into the material to be clinched, one part of the driver having an irregular movement with relation to the other part, so that that .part of the driver farthest from the end of the button-guide has imparted to it an additional movement, to thereby give to the staple a quick movement and cause it, as it enters the eye of the button shank, to turn the said shank a quarter-turn, after which the part which had given to it the extra throw is brought back into its normal driving relation to the other part of the driver,

Serial No. 272,340. (No model.)

both parts of the driver, the shank of the button having been turned into position to fill the deepest part of the notch between the two parts of the driver, acting upon the head of the staple and driving it into the material. That part of the driver next the button-guide is fixed to the driver-bar and it descends uniformly, while the other part of the driver, it also descending with it, has given to it an extra throw to turn the button-shank a quarterturn before the rigidly-held part of the driver descends low enough to be in the way to interfere with the turning movement of the shank. The fastener-raceway is connected with a vertically-reciprocating presser having a nose to clamp the stock or material between itself and the anvil, the vertical face of the presser being grooved to constitute a guide for the shank of the eye of the button.

Figure 1, in front elevation, represents a sufficient portion of abutton-setting machine to enable my present invention to be understood. Fig. 1 represents the base and main supporting portion of the said machine omitted from Fig. 1. Fig. 1" shows the buttonraceway in cross-section in the line 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a rear side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a left-hand side elevation of Fig. 1, .partially broken out. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail taken at the rear side of the head, showing the lever for imparting the extra movement to one part of the driver. Fig. 5 shows details of the staple guide or bar, it constituting a raceway with staples thereon. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section in the line 00, Fig. 1, looking to the right. Fig. '7'is an enlarged detail showing the driver as clinching a staple upon the anvil. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail showing a portion of the but ton-guide attached to the grooved vertical face of the presser, together with a part of the raceway and the transferrer, the latter having been moved far enough to leave a button in position to receive one leg of a staple in its eye. Fig. 9 is a detail of the face of the presser, the short lines therein indicating various different positions of the button-shank. Fig. 10 is an inner side view of the button-guide and its attached cover-plate, having in it the driyer-passage; and Fig.'11 is a section on the line :0 Fig. 10.

The base-plate A of the machine, supposed rests or is placed the series of staple-like fast-' to be resting upon a table, A at the top of a stand, A*, has a guiding-sleeve, A, through which is extended a slide-rod, A the lower end of which is jointed to a treadle, A, pivoted at A near the outer or pedal end of the treadle, it being normallyheld up by a spring, as A The base-plate A also supports a horn, B, in the upper end of which is placed an anvil, B, of usual construction, it having two concavities, as best shown in Figs. I) and 7, to thereby clinch the legs of the staple s.

The slide-rod A has fixed to it at its upper end a head, 13*, of suitable shape, to which is attached by screw 2 (see Fig. 1) the rigid part a of the compound driver a a, the part a being conn ected by a screw, 3, or otherwise, with a driver-bar, (1 the head being grooved longitudinally at its front side to receive within it the said driver-bar, the latter slidin in the said groove behind a plate, (1", attached to the head by the screws a The driver-bar ai at its rear side, has a pin, a, which is embraced by the slotted end of a driver-actuating lever, a, pivoted at ".1: upon the head of the machine, the end of the said driver-lever opposite that which is connected to the driverbar having a "cam projection, as 5, and being also, as shown, slotted at 6, to receive within it a pin or projection, '7, forming part of a cam-block, Z), pivoted at Z) upon a bracket, Z1 fixed to and forming part of the head E the lower end of the said block b, as herein shown, being represented as having a cam-shaped heel.

Normally the driver-bar a is kept elevated by means of a spring, 12*, connected with a pin, 12*, and to a fixed part of the head.

The slide-rod A at the upper end of the sleeve-like guide A is surrounded loosely by the tubular shank of an arm, forming part of the presser-plate C, the lower end of the sleeve resting normally upon a spring, C the lower end of which is seated on ashoulder or projection of the rod A within the guide A.

The presser-plate C is normally lifted by this spring to come in contact with the stop 10, which, as herein shown, is the upper end of a screw screwed into a lug, 12, forming part of the sleeve A. The presser-plate has at one end avertical face, (shown best in Figs. 8 and 9,) the face being grooved, as at 13 let, to constitute a channel or guideway, in which may travel-the shank 24 of the button 23.

The shank of the button travels in the groove 13 so long as the head of the button travels in the button-guide E it being acted upon by the transferrer e, which latter leaves the button wit-h its shank lying at about the position 15, just above the substantially-vertical portion lit of the said groove, where the faceplate is cut away to receive one end of the staple-guiding bar or raceway D, on which eners s to be driven, the said staples straddling the said bar, and being pushed forward thereon by a pushing device, D, urged forward by a weight or equivalent, D 011 a cord or equivalent, D the staples being, as herein shown, kept down upon the bar by means of a cap, D which is grooved at its under side, as best shown in Fig. 5, the said figure also showing the shape of the bar in cross-section. One end of the cap D has a pin, 31, (see Fig.

3,) to enter a hole in the head, the other end of the cap being held down by a spring-yoke, 30.

A sutlicicnt space (see Fig. 9) corresponding with the outline of the staple is left about the end of the staple-guiding bar D-for the passage of the staples .9, one by one, into a driver-passage, I), made at the rear side of a cover-plate, I), (see Fig. 10,) the said coverplate I) being attached to the face of the presser-plate C by screws 18.

The cover-plate .1) has secured to or forming part of it a staple-retainer, 20, (shown as a spring,) one end of which is fastened by a screw, 21, while the other end of the spring normally bears against the front end of the bar D, as best shown in Fig. (3, the said retainer supporting the endmost staple of the row of staples after it has been pushed from the end of the bar into the driver-passage 33, the retainer yiehling, however, readily and moving to the right hand, Fig. 6, after the driver in its descent meets the staple, the said ther descent to drive the staple, serving to keep the endmost staple of the row of staples upon the staple-guiding bar.

The cover-plate I) referred to is provided with a button-guide portion, E it in practice forming a continuation of the button-raceway E beyond the button-stop (7, madeas aspring and attached to the raceway by a screw, 6?, the said stop serving to arrest and retain the endmost or leading button in the lnitton-receiving portion.

The button-guide portion E has a groove, the shape of which is best shown in Fig. 11, and in cross-section, Fig. (i, said groove receiving in it the heads of the buttons 2.),with their shanks 2- extended outwardly or away from the operator, who stands at the front of themachine in Fig.1,1he shanks lying in the groove 13.

The face-plate D is located immediately at the lower end of the button-raceway E, the face-plate having, as shown, a curved shoulder or lip, 26, convexed at, its face to correspond with one side of the groove 13 referred to, the said lip 26 being opposed to a lip, 27, forming part of the presscr-plate.

The button-raceway at its upper end has connected to it in suitable manner, as by screws 28, the button-hopper E, it containing within it a brush-like agitator, E connected to a shaft, E having an arm, E, to which is joined a rod, E" which in turn is attached to causing the brush to push the buttons one at a time into the open upper end of the button.- raceway E, the shanks of the buttons pro- IIO truding through a slot at the rear side of the raceway and traveling down the raceway 1111-. til the button-head comes against the stopd.

The button-hopper is attached to the upper end of a rod, E fixed to the shank C of the presser-plate C, which latter is guided in its vertical movement by means of a guide-pin, (Z (see 1,) connected to the sleeve A and extended through the said shank. (See Fig. 1.)

The shank of the presser-plate has fixed to it a vertical rod, f, to which is attached a stud or projection, f, which, after the presser-plate has been depressed to place the nose portion C thereof against the work, is, in the further descent of the head, struck by the driver-bar-actuatin lever a as the latter travels down with the head, which turns the said lever to depress or throw down the driverbar a having attached to it the part a of the driverthis extra movement of the driverbar in excess of the movement of the part a, rigidly attached to the descending head, taking place immediately after the staple s has entered the open eye of the shank of the but ton, the said shank lying with its eye opening upward, and at the point 15, at the junction of the two parts 13 and 1-1 of the shank-guiding groove, (see Fig. 10,) this extra quick movement so given to the portion a of the driver causing it to act upon the staples and give it a quick movement to enable it by its crown to quickly tip the shank of the button over, so that it will stand in vertical position in the groove 14, the said shank at such time turning quickly under the end of the portion a of the driver, the lower end of which portion at that moment is not as much depressed as the end of the portion a. The button-shank turned one-quarter over, as described, comes into position in the notch 29 between the two parts a and a of the driver, and at this time, the cam portions of both the lever a and the bar I) having passed the projection f, the spring 12 quickly assumes control of the driver-bar and lifts it to place the end of the part a of the driver into driving position with relation to the portion (L of the driver, as represented by full lines, Fig. 4:. The shank of the button having been turned upwardly from its rear side into position in the notch between the portions or legs a a of the driver, the latter in its further descent acts upon the crown or head of the staple and drives it down through the driver-passage into the material on the anvil, as in Figs. 6 and '7, the buttonshank traveling in the groove or channel 14.

To transfer the buttons singly from the stop (1 at the lower end of the button-raceway E through the b Litton-guide E and place the eye of the button-shank in the driver-passage to receive in it the leg of a staple, s, I have pivoted upon the face-plate D by a screw-stud, h, a collar or plate, 71', to which is adjustably attached by a screw, 71 a transferrer, e, the latter, as herein shown, being an arc-shaped finger composed of wire attached to the plate h, the end of the transferrer acting upon the lowermost button resting against a stop, as d, in the raceway, and transfers it into and to the end of the groove in the button-guide, leaving the button with its head under the positioning-sprin g m, attached tothe faceplate by a screw, 18.

The plate h is connected by a link, 7L5, with an car, it, attached to the head of the machine or to the cap a, so that the transferrer e is retracted or moved backwardly in' the direction of the arrow shown in Figs. 1 and 8, or from the full-line position, Fig. 8, to the dottedline position, by the descent of the driver, the said return movement of the transferrer 6 commencing after the presser-plate or its nose has come to rest upon the stock.

As the driver is placing a staple into the eye of a button and is driving a staple into the stock to secure the button in place, the transferrer is being moved backward to place its point beyond the button next to be taken from the end of the column of buttons in the raceway and held by the stop (I. As the driver and presser-plate rise, the transferrer is operated to take a button from the stop (Z, and by the time the driver has been fully elevated the transferrer has been sufficiently moved to place the button-eye in position to receive a staple as the driver again descends.

I claim 1. In a button-setting machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a button-raceway, a stop for the endmost button, a plate having an irregular guide to receive or act upon the shank of the button, a transferrer to transfer a button from the said stop into position to receive a staple, a staple guide or bar, and a two-part driver to act upon the staple, pass it into the eye of the button, and permit the shank of the button to turn a quarter-turn and stand between the two parts of the driver, the driver in its further movement driving the staple into the material, the staple carrying the said button, substantially as described.

2. The presser-plate having an irregular groove, the face-plate having a driver-passage, the button-guide slotted to enable the shank of the button to enter the driver-passage, and a suitable guide-bar adapted to deliver staples from its end into the drivel-passage, combined with a two-part driver, one part of which is operated independently of the other to aid in tipping the shank of the button after a staple has entered the eye thereof, substantially as described.

3. In a button-setting machine, the following instrumentalities, "iz: a button-raceway, a button-receivin g hopper in connection therewith, a stop for the endmost button, a plate having an irregular guide to receive or act upon the shank of the button, a transferrer to transfer a button from the said stop into position to receive a staple, a staple-guide bar, and a two-part driver to act upon the staple, pass it into the eye. of the button, and permit the shank of the button to turn a quarter-turn and stand between the two parts of the driver, the driver in its further movement driving the staple into the material, the staple carrying the said button, substantially as described.

4. In a button-setting machine, the combination, with a reciprocating head having an attached driver portion, a, of a driver-bar, it having an attached driver portion, a, and lever, and means to turn the said lever to impart an independent movement to the driver portion at each descent of the head, substantially as described.

5. The button-chute, the head, the driver carried thereby, the button-guide in continuation of the raceway, the presser-plate, the attached face-plate, the driver-passage therein, a staple guide or raceway, and a transferrer and anvil, combined with means to actuate said transferrer to transfer the same through the raceway into the button-guide in position to receive the leg of a fastener, a driver for inserting the leg of the staple into the eye of the button therein and driving the staple through the driver-passage into the stock and material, substantially as described.

6. In a button-setting machine, an amdl to turn the points of a metallic fastener, combined with the button-guide, and a guide for the fastener, and with a driver made in two parts, so that one part moves faster than the other in a portion of its descent, and then moves in the opposite direction to bring its end into driving position with relation to the other parts of the driver, elevating the two parts of the driver to bear uniformly upon the head of the fastener when clinching the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOENDER O. EMERSON.

\Vitnesses:

JAS. H. LANGE, GEO. O. PARKER. 

